Motor controller



Patented Mar. 28,1922.

Ati, or we g.

/ Inventor JQsephXlMathieu,

L X. MATHIEU. Moron cQNmoLLER. APPLICATION FILED SEPT.2| I92I.'

UNITED `STATES y.

PATENToFFlcE."

JOSEPH X. MATHIEU, or rrTTsEIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, AssIeNoE To GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION 0E NEW YORK.`

` MOTOR CONTROLLER. p

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Maries, 192e.

Application flied september `2, i921. se'riaiNo. 497,869.'

ureof voltage or an overload. The invention -has a particular application to Vstarting com- `pensatore inlv which a switch member is biased to the Aoff position and is operable in onev direction-from the off-'position toa starting position and in the other direction from the off position to arunning'position. "LatchingV arrangements `have heretofore'be'en provided-for insuring that the switch vmember 'will-be required to bethrown'to the starting position before being thrown tothel running position, and latching arrangements have also V'been provided for maintaining the lswitch member in the running 'position against its bias to the off position.- Arrangements have also heretofore been provided for releasing the switchmember to return from. the running position to the oif' position when an abnormal condition exists in the motor circuit.

' One of the objects of the present 'invention is to provide an improved arrangement having the features of insuring that the switch member of the starting compensator will be required Yto be thrown `to the startingposition before being thrown to the running position, holding the switch member positively7 in the running position against its bias vto the off position and releasing latching arrangement which holds'the switch member in the running position with a hammer blow when abnormal conditions occur in thel motor circuit. Another object of the invention `is to provide an"1improved ,arrangement which is simple in construction, cheapv 'to manufacture, nd nevertheless reliable vand effective in operation.

f Fora better understanding of the invenation, reference is-had to the accompanying f drawing, wherein the' switch member 10V 'starting contacts on the left, only one of which, 13, is indicated, The setof movable contacts (notlshown) is also adaptedto make engagement with another set of running ccntaots, only one "of which', 14, is indicated.

The spring 11 cooperates with Ithe two members 15 and 16 to bias the `switchmember '10 to the off position. These'two members and 16 are each mounted fora limited'rotation with respect to the 4shaft 12 andtheii ends are connected together bythe spring 11. VWhen the switch membenisin thev off A pivoted latc'ht19i`is provided insui- 'ing that the switch `member 10 will bev required to 'be thrown to the starting -position before being thrown to the runningA position, and the latch also has means for positively holding the switch member in the running position.

The electromagnet 2O has a winding which is adapted lto be energized. responsively to conditions in thel motor circuit for controlling the'latch 19. This electromagnet is'pi'oprovided with a `slot at its other end within which a pin`23 carriedfby the armature 21 is adapted Ito move back and forth so as to placethe latchunder the control of the electromagnet lto thereby effect the return of the switch member from the runningl position to the off position in response to abnormal conditions in the motor circuit'. The connection of the winding of the electromagnet 20. in the motor circuit is not shown, since 1t is be- 'l-Vd Vthat the manner in which 'this connection may be established in order to protect the controlled motor from no voltage conditions will be apparent to those sxilled in the art. It will also be obvious to those skilled in the art that in case the motor is to be protected from overload conditions, some means must be provided for deenergizing the electromagnet in response to the loverload conditions.

As thus constructed and arranged and with the parts in the various positions shown in the drawing, the operation of my invention is as followsz-In order to establish the lstarting connections, the switch member 10 willbe thrown to the starting position by any suitable means, as for eX- ample, a handle (not shown) secured to the shaft 12. It will be observed that the latch 19 will permit thisoperation in case the switch member is thrown quickly, butV that the operation will be arrested b the projection24 in case it is attemptec to throw the switch member slowly. Thelprojection 25 will prevent the switch lmember from being thrown directly from the off position to the running position, but with'the switch member in the starting position, the running position may be reached in case the switch member is thrown quickly. Thus a quick movement of the switch member will cause the latch 19 to be raised so that the projection 25 can be cleared.

The winding of the electromagnet 20 will be energized in the running position preparatory to protecting the controlled motor against abnormalcircuit conditions. It will be observed that the movement of the latch 19 when the switch ,member is thrown from the ofi' position to the starting position or from the starting position .to the running osition does not cause any movement of t re armature 21 because ot the fact that the 'armature is connected to the link 22 by the described pin and slot connection. It will also be observed `that the movement of the armature 21 to the attracted position when the winding of the electromagnet is energized does not cause a vmovement ofthe latch. With the switch member in the running position and the latch 19 1n engagement therewith so as to prevent the return .thereof to the off position by reason of the bias of the spring 11, in ease some abnormal `circuit condition arises and the winding of clectromagnet 20 isdecnerg1zed, t he `armature 21 will be permitted to drop in accordance 4with the `gravity bias, the pm23 will strike the link 22 ahammer blow and the ,hammer blow will be imparted ytothe latch ,19, so that the latch is quickly raised. The switch member 1is thus permitted to `return ,quickly -to ythe off position and vthe ,parts yassume .their respective pQSltlOnS Shown in ,the ,drawing- 111 e@Corderie@ .withthe fpreviscas of th` patent statutes, I have described the princi ple of operation of my invention together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative and that the invention may be carried out by other means.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is,-

1, In a motor controller, a switch meinber biased to an off position and movable against its bias in one direction to a starting position and against its bias kin the opposite direction to a running position, a latchcooperating therewith for holding the sai-fl member in the running y.position and tor compelling the said member to lbe thrown to the starting position before being thrown to the running position, an elcctromagnct energized responsively to conditions in the motor circuit .for releasing the said latch, the said electromagnet having a magnetic movable member magnetically heldin one position against its bias to a second position, and a connection between the said latch and magnetic member through which a hammer blow is vimparted to release the holding effect of thesaid latch in response to the operation of the said magnetic member to its biased position.

2. In a motor controller, a switch member biased ,to van off position and movable against its bias in one direction to a starting position and against its bias in another direction to a running position, a pivoted latch co-operating therewith for holding the said member in. the running .position and tor compelling the said member to Vbe thrown to the' starting position before being thrown to the running position, an electromagnet.energized responsively to conditions in the motor circuit forreleasing the said latch, the said `electromagnet having a magnetic movable member `magnetically held in one position against the bias of gravity to the second position, and a pin and slot connection between the said latch and magnetic member through which a hammer blow is imparted to release the holding effect of the said latch `in response to the operation of the said magnetic member to its biased position.

3. In a motor controller. a switch member biased to an oil' .position and movable against its bias in one direction to a startingr position and against its bias in another direction to a running position, a pivoted latch co-operating-therewith for holding the said member in the running `position and for compelling the said ymember to vbe thrown to the starting position before being thrown to the running position, an

` electromagnet :energized responsively .to

- conditions in the motor circuit for releasing the saidv latch, the said electromagnet havin a magnetic movable member magneticall7 held in one position against the bias of gravity to the secondi position, and a link providing a lost motion connection between the said magnetic member and latch through which a hammer blow is imparted to release the holding effect of the said latch in response to the operation of the said magnetic 10 member to its biased position.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 31st da of Au ust, 1921.

JOSEP X. THIEU.k 

